Improvement in the manufacture of oakum



UNITED STATES PATENT DFFIGE,

MANLEY HOWE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF OAKUM.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 145,826, dated March 24, 1874; application filed May 1,1873. i

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MANLEY HowE, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in the lVI-auufacture of Oakum, of which the following is a specification:

In the manufacture of oakum by any of the processes in which oil is used--as, for instance, in the process described in the patent of Thomas H. Dunham-the adhesive quality of the fibers of the oakum is impaired, and its value as a packing is greatly lessened thereby.

The tar contained in the rope used for this purpose, and bits of the fiber in the operation of picking, stick to the teeth of the picker, or card also, and cover them with fiber, cansing a frequent breakage of the teeth, and after a time rendering the picker practically useless, until it has been cleaned at a great loss of time and labor. When the picker or card has become so clogged, moreover, the fibers of the rope used, instead of being properly combed and separated, so as to be of con,- siderable length, are frequently broken and shortened, thus making the product much less valuable. A great loss of power is occasioned also by the increased amount of force required to properly comb or pass the teeth through the fibers when the picker or card is clogged than when it is clean.

To remedy these defects, I place chalk, whiting, clay, or any substance possessing similar absorbent properties, in a pulverized state, upon the rope or fiber after it has been steamed, and while it is upon the apron or just in front of the drawing roll or rolls on the picker or card. This may be done either by hand or by some suitable mechanism, such as a hopper placed above the apron or above and in front of the drawing-rolls, and sifted upon the rope or fiber as it passes through the machine.

I claim as my inventionvIn the manufacture of oakum, the employment of chalk or other substance having similar properties as an absorbent of oil or tar, and for keeping the card or picker teeth from becoming clogged, as specified.

MANLEY HOWE.

*itnesses Gr. S. SoAMMoN, J. B. B01313. 

